The Mountain Caretaker's Son

 When Lu Si was ten years old she visited Jin Country for its Peach Blossom Festival. Lu Si heard that it was the best festival in the world and that everyone who's anyone in the world would come and celebrate. Lu Si also heard that the festival hosted many betrothals between families. It was a festival created for all the eligible noble women across the world to come and be wedded to a Prince.

At ten she did not care for that, but her older cousins attended and she came along. Lu Si only wanted to play and did not care for the festival, snuck out of her quarter while no one was watching. On one hand she held a small Baimu's dagger, on the other she held a Jin's lantern. It was not dark outside, but the road to the hunting ground was lit by an array of lotus lanterns, and so Lu Si entered.

The deeper inside the hunting arena, the more beautiful she found it. The steps going up the mountain to the pavilion up ahead was beautiful with its white stepping stones and tiger's heads statues on the sides. She climbed the steps happily, the long stairways up the mountain didn't seem exhaustive for her, rather she made it into a game: she jumped and somersaulted, practicing all along the road.

At the first pavilion, she looked down and was in awe at the view below. She was so happy and with the thought that it would look exquisite at a higher level, she climbed a bit more. To the second, then the third. At the third, she found a small piece of land with forest of bamboo and a lake. The bamboo bridge across the lake lead the way to a cottage with a terrace over the water. Ecstatic with the view, she skipped happily, hurriedly to the cottage. There was a boat tied to a post, docked neared all the bamboo that shots out of the water. There was someone napping on the boat.

Curious, she rushed over and saw a boy.

"Hello!" She shouted.

He opened his eyes and saw a bright smile with big eyes, gawking at him.

"Who are you?" he asked.

She looked around for inspiration for a name. A white rabbit jumped out from a bush and she yelped, "Xiaotu!"

"X-xiao...tu?"

She nodded, "Tu in the word Tuzi."

He chuckled.

She smiled, "You are?"

"The Mountain Caretaker's son." He answered.

She pouted with a slight moan. Disappointed at his answer so she stubbornly waited until he give her his name. He leaned back with a smirk and eyes closed. He was not keen of talking to people, let alone a strange girl who called herself 'Little Bunny.'

Lu Si raised her chin and with a huff and arms crossed, settled down on the terrace's floor. She will play the waiting game with him.

A quiet moment later she spoke, "I am ten years old this year. I came with my cousins for the lantern festival. I don't know what is going on down there, I don't really care. This place is so nice and quiet. Are you not afraid of the beasts on the mountain? Ah, you are the mountain caretaker's son anyway, so the beast are the one who is afraid of you." She rambled on while letting her feet down to play with the water, "It's a beautiful day today don't you think? Do you think there will be rain? What time do you think it is? I need to go home, ah, but I don't want to go home. It's so pretty here."

The Mountain Caretaker's son was not amused by her endless chattering. He wanted some peaceful time, but out came a little bunny squeaking in his ears. He plucked a bamboo leaf to play a tune. It captured her attention, but backfired on his intention. She was thrilled to hear such a serene sound coming from a leaf that she asked him to teach her how to play. She jumped up from the terrace and ran to one of the bamboo to pluck a leaf and tried, but she slipped and fell into the water. He was startled, but chuckled and laughed.

She waded water, hoping to stay afloat. She didn't call for his help even though she couldn't swim. She thought she could do it, but her legs stiffened and it hurt. Slowly she sunk down and disappeared under water. Before she passed out she heard a 'plop' and a splash sound. When she opened her eyes she felt his lips and saw his eyes staring at her. Lu Si pushed him away, she jerked up and coughed out water. She gulped and rubbed her lips with a flushed-red face before moving away from him.

"My name is Wu Lei, Hua Wu Lei." He sat down with a sigh.

"What use does that do? What you just did to me–"

"Nobody, other than my grandparents, my parents, know my name, and now you." 

She looked away with a frown, looking like tears would fall. 

He abruptly made a promise to appease her, "Unfortunately, I am only twelve this year, so I can't take full responsibility. If you can wait a few more years for me. I promise I will take full responsibility."

Lu Si glared at him then scoffed, "Who said I want you to take full responsibility!" She whisked around and ran back down the mountain. Knowing full well the dangers of the mountain, the many beasts that would maul her if encountered, he quietly followed. He too, also need to get back to his quarter before his guards found him missing, the whole palace would go into full chaos.